Mixing Backwards · Fix-The-Mix™

Mixing Backwards

A recent blog post by Production Expert titled "Mixing Backwards - Have You Tried It?" really sparked my attention. I've posted a link to it in the Resources feed if you want to read it.

As you already know, the primary purpose of the Fix-the-Mix challenges is to find potential candidates for The Reverse Engineer program, where they teach the music production process in reverse.

@Caleb Loveless

often mentions that the benefit of learning in reverse is that when you have the "end in mind perspective" you are able to think like a mastering engineer during the entire production process, leading to better productions, better mixes, and better masters. Every decision a mastering engineer makes is "with intention," and that intention is for the best possible end result.

This article claims that one of the benefits of mixing backwards is that "it encourages better planning during the recording process. When you start with the end in mind, it becomes essential to envision the final sound from the outset. This mindset can drastically alter how you approach recording each element, ensuring that every track is recorded with its place in the mix already considered." It also states that "when you have a final sound in mind, you're likely to make more intentional decisions," and "by having a clear vision of the final mix, you can streamline the recording process, making decisions that contribute directly to the desired end result," helping to "maintain the creative flow." It's almost as though the author took a page right out of Caleb's playbook! (Oh yeah, this article also mentions going down a "rabbit hole.")

TRE and the idea of Mixing Backwards are not the same, however. TRE teaches mastering and mixing as separate operations, whereas Mixing Backwards involves combining the two into one process, beginning your mixing process in the master bus and working backwards from there. Personally, I would not recommend the Mixing Backwards approach until you've already learned how to master and mix as separate processes. Only after you have learned how to do each process effectively, having an efficient workflow for each, would you be able to benefit from blending the processes together.

With that in mind, this article goes into more detail about what Mixing Backwards is, the benefits and potential setbacks of the process, and even a practical step-by-step guide for getting started. It is intended for those who have experience in both mixing and mastering, not for a novice in mastering, or someone who has never mastered before. I cannot stress that enough, as I know there are many of you reading this who are new to either mixing or mastering. Some may read it and want to get started right away, thinking of this as some sort of a short-cut approach to get their mixes done better and faster, without taking the time to learn the art of mixing and mastering separately to begin with. Mixing and Mastering are two separate processes and should not be combined without having an efficient workflow and understanding in each.

Happy Producing!

11 comments